5-Week Bodybuilding Diet Guide You Should Follow – LivingHours

Bodybuilding Diet – If you want to pack more muscles to your body and need more definition, realize that diet is the most important part of your regimen. Muscle-building diet essentials are extremely important- without them, you cannot have the physique that you want.

Your body needs an effective bodybuilding diet with the right kind of supplements to help you make huge gains. Knowing what to eat and when to eat is the key to ensuring strength, performance and muscle gain.

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Following the right diet plan for bodybuilding is, therefore, essential. You have to stay consistent with the diet to fuel your body and repair those muscles while reducing any chance of injuries.

Irrespective of your goals, any bodybuilding diet that you follow should have macronutrients- protein, fats and carbohydrates in optimal quantities to help you reach your goals.

The number of calories you consume doesn’t matter in this context. However, if you want to lose weight before bulking up, then you need a bodybuilding diet with no more than 2,000 calories, reduced carbs and high protein to get rid of the fat. Otherwise, don’t focus on calories too much. Instead, aim for getting double the amount of protein for your bodyweight and focus on getting the right kind of nutrients.

If you are still concerned about your bodybuilding diet plan, measure your height and weight, your Basal Metabolic Rate and Exercise plan or lifestyle to derive a relevant number for you.

Related: Quick Bodybuilding Tips

Philosophy

When it comes to the best bodybuilding diet, you should know that a diet like that won’t cause cravings or won’t leave you wanting for more. While it is strict, such a diet follows the general approach for nutrition- where you should be to eat healthy 85-90% of the time while indulging your cravings 15-10% of the time. Since this bodybuilding protein diet doesn’t discard any food groups, you practically get to eat all the foods, except sugars, processed crap and unhealthy items.

Getting Started

Do you know why a lot of people leave bodybuilding diet plan? Because making sudden healthy changes to the diet is quite difficult. So, before embarking on the diet, go ahead and get started on these two phases for healthy eating. This will make the 5-week bodybuilding diet transition easier.

1st Phase (7-10 days) – Start by adapting healthier habits by replacing the old negative ones. Consume more water and multi-vitamins alongside eating three meals day. Avoid eating right before going to bed.

2nd Phase (7-10 days) – In this phase, eliminate fried food items, soft drinks, loaves of bread, pasta and high-fat dairy products from your diet. Instead, replace them with vegetables, fruits, olive oils, fibers and skim milk.
What you can eat?

You should stick to the rule of thirds when following this best bodybuilding diet. This rule suggests that one third of your plate should be covered with lean protein, a third with vegetables, fruits or salads and the remaining third with complex carbohydrates.
Suggested Food Items for the diet

A) Lean Proteins

Food	Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats
Catfish	30 grams	29	5g	0g	1g
Chicken	30 grams	46	9g	0g	1g
Cod	30 grams	29	6g	0g	0g
Crab, Blue	30 grams	29	6g	0g	0g
Duck, Skinless	30 grams	56	7g	0g	3g
Egg Whites	1 large (33g)	16	4g	0g	0g
Filet Mignon	30 grams	65	8g	0g	3g
Flank Steak	30 grams	57	8g	0g	3g
Red Snapper	30 grams	36	7g	0g	0g
Salmon	30 grams	51	7g	0g	2g
Scallops	30 grams	31	6g	0g	0g
Sea Bass	30 grams	35	7g	0g	1g
Shrimp	30 grams	28	6g	0g	0g
Surimi	30 grams	28	4g	2g	0g
Tilapia	30 grams	36	7g	0g	1g
Tuna	30 grams	32	7g	0g	0g
Ground Turkey Breast	30 grams	66	8g	0g	4g
Lean Beef	30 grams	46	7g	0g	2g
Venison	30 grams	42	8g	0g	1g

 

B) Complex Carbohydrates

Food	Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats
Black Beans	30 grams	37	2g	7g	0g
Bread, Multi-Grain	1 slice	69	3g	11g	1g
Brown Rice	30 grams	31	1g	7g	0g
Couscous	30 grams	31	1g	7g	0g
Granola	30 grams	137	4g	15g	7g
Grits	30 grams	17	0g	4g	0g
Lentils	30 grams	32	3g	6g	0g
Oatmeal	30 grams	20	1g	4g	0g
Oats Steel Cut	30 grams	109	5g	19g	2g
Peas (Green Split)	30 grams	23	2g	4g	0g
Potatoes	30 grams	26	1g	6g	0g
Quinoa	30 grams	34	1g	6g	1g
Yams	30 grams	32	0g	8g	0g
Alfalfa Sprouts	30 grams	6	1g	1g	0g
Asparagus	30 grams	6	1g	1g	0g
Bok-Choy	30 grams	3	0g	1g	0g
Broccoli	30 grams	10	1g	2g	0g
Cabbage	30 grams	7	0g	2g	0g
Cauliflower	30 grams	7	1g	1g	0g
Celery	30 grams	4	0g	1g	0g
Cucumber	30 grams	4	0g	1g	0g
Eggplant	30 grams	7	0g	2g	0g
Green Beans	30 grams	9	1g	2g	0g
Iceberg Lettuce	30 grams	4	0g	1g	0g
Kale	30 grams	14	1g	3g	0g
Mushrooms	30 grams	7	1g	1g	0g
Onions	30 grams	11	0g	3g	0g
Peppers, Sweet Green	30 grams	6	0g	1g	0g
Peppers, Sweet Red	30 grams	9	0g	2g	0g
Pickles	30 grams	3	0g	1g	0g
Romaine Lettuce	30 grams	5	0g	1g	0g
Spinach	30 grams	6	1g	1g	0g
Squash, Butternut	30 grams	13	0g	3g	0g
Tomatoes	30 grams	5	0g	1g	0g
Zucchini	30 grams	4	0g	1g	0g

 

C) Fats

Food	Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats
Almonds	30 grams	162	6g	6g	14g
Almond Butter	1 tbsp.	101	2g	3g	9g
Almond Meal	30 grams	162	6g	6g	14g
Avocado	30 grams	45	1g	2g	4g
Cashews	30 grams	155	5g	9g	12g
Cashew Butter	1 tbsp.	94	3g	4g	8g
Flax Seed	1 tbsp.	55	2g	3g	4g
Flax, Olive Oil	1 tbsp.	119	0g	0g	14g
Macadamia	30 grams	201	2g	4g	21g
Peanuts	30 grams	159	7g	5g	14g
Peanut Butter	30 grams	165	7g	6g	14g
Pistachio	30 grams	156	6g	8g	12g
Sunflower Seed	30 grams	164	6g	6g	14g
Walnuts	30 grams	183	4g	4g	18g
Cheese	30 grams	113	7g	0g	9g
Cottage Cheese	30 grams	20	3g	1g	0g
Feta Cheese	30 grams	74	4g	1g	6g
Milk	30 grams	14	1g	1g	1g
Yogurt	30 grams	16	2g	2g	0g

 

D) Fluids

• Water
• Coconut water
• Black coffee
• Green tea
• Unsweetened teas (should be cream free)

Managing Macronutrients

It’s tough, but you might find it difficult to manage macronutrients at the beginning of this bodybuilding diet. However, you can follow these rules to help.

Protein

Consistently, you should consume about one and a half to two grams for each kilogram of your bodyweight. So, if you weigh 80 kilograms, you should consume anywhere from 125-160 grams of protein.

Carbohydrates and Fats

Don’t count carbs and fats. Just follow the rule of thirds for this natural bodybuilding diet. Make sure that you do not consume processed carbs or unhealthy fats. Or avoid their consumption to the minimum. Experiment by increasing or decreasing the percentages of these macronutrients in your meal to find the desired combination.

Meal Frequency

The five-week bodybuilder diet plan recommends three main meals and two small meals or snacks to keep your metabolism up and running.

Meal Plan

Week 1 – Calories/day: 2100-2400 approx.

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
	PROTEIN: 1.5 X Bodyweight CARBS: 80% FATS: 20%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X Bodyweight CARBS: 60% FATS: 40%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X Bodyweight CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X Bodyweight CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X Bodyweight CARBS: 20% FATS: 80%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X Bodyweight CARBS: 20% FATS: 80%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X Bodyweight CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%
MEAL 1	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee
MEAL 2	Lean Steak Brown Rice	Chicken Breast Brown Rice	Lean Steak Brown Rice	Chicken Breast Brown Rice	Lean Steak Almonds	Chicken Breast Almonds	Lean Steak Brown Rice
MEAL 3	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs
MEAL 4	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites
MEAL 5	Tuna Black Beans	Chicken Breast Chickpeas	Chicken Black Beans	Chicken Greek Yogurt Almonds	Beef Steak Greek Yogurt Almonds	Chicken Greek Yogurt Black Beans	Tuna Chickpeas Almonds
MEAL 6	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake

 

Week 2 – Calories/day: 2200-2400 approx.

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 80% FATS: 20%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 60% FATS: 40%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 20% FATS: 80%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 20% FATS: 80%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%
MEAL 1	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Chicken Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Chicken Oatmeal Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Whole Eggs Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Whole Eggs Coffee	Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee
MEAL 2	Turkey Breast Brown Rice Almonds	Turkey Breast Brown Rice	Turkey Breast Brown Rice Almonds	Lean Steak Brown Rice	Lean Steak Brown Rice Almonds	Turkey Breast Brown Rice	Turkey Breast Brown Rice
MEAL 3	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs
MEAL 4	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites
MEAL 5	Chicken Broccoli	Chicken Tilapia Sweet Potato	Tilapia Black Beans Mushrooms	Chicken Greek Yogurt Almonds	Lean Steak Greek Yogurt Almonds	Chicken Broccoli	Tuna Chick Peas Almonds
MEAL 6	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake

Week 3 – Calories/day: 2000-2300 approx.

 

Week 4 – Calories/day: 1900-2200 approx.

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 80% FATS: 20%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 60% FATS: 40%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 20% FATS: 80%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 20% FATS: 80%	PROTEIN: 1.5 X CARBS: 50% FATS: 50%
MEAL 1	Protein Shake Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Protein Shake Egg White Omelet Chicken Oatmeal Coffee	Protein Shake Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Protein Shake Egg White Omelet Chicken Oatmeal Coffee	Protein Shake Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee	Protein Shake Egg White Omelet Chicken Oatmeal Coffee	Protein Shake Egg Whites Oatmeal Coffee
MEAL 2	Turkey Breast Almonds Green Salad	Lean Meat Yams Green Salad	Chicken Quinoa Green Salad	Tilapia Almonds Green Salad	Chicken Yams Greek Yoghurt Almonds	Turkey Breast Quinoa Green Salad	Tuna Green Salad Almonds
MEAL 3	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs	Protein Shake Simple Carbs
MEAL 4	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites	Protein Shake Egg Whites
MEAL 5	Tuna Rice Cake Almonds	Shrimp Stir Fry Vegetables	Smoked Salmon Light String Cheese Mixed Green Salad	Sirloin Steak Greek Yogurt Mixed Green Salad	Lean Steak Rice Cake Almonds	Chicken Mixed Green Salad Greek Yogurt	Tuna Rice Cake Almonds
MEAL 6	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake	Protein Shake

Week 5 – Calories/day: 1800-2200 approx.

 

Remember, this just an idea for bodybuilding diet plan. Depending on the macronutrients and your dietary choices, you can easily tweak the diet to suit your needs.

Adding supplements to the mix

Your body is undergoing much wear and tear when you do weight-train. And most often, regular foods will not help your body reach its optimum state. That is why, with this natural bodybuilding diet, you should include some healthy food supplements, which will aid in muscle growth, recovery and fat loss.

1. Protein Powder

Protein powders can help in filling the gap between your protein requirements and consumption. Whey, casein or vegan proteins are available in the market.

2. Pre-Workout

Products with Creatine, Beta-alanine, nitric oxide boosters can help you reach your peak performance and reduce exhaustion. Take them about 30 minutes before the workout.

3. Leucine/BCAAS

Amongst the three branched-chain amino acids, leucine is the most responsible for stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Add BCAA supplements to your bodybuilding diet to maximize your transformation.

4. Intra Workout

Beta Alanine, protein shakes, and coconut water will keep you hydrated during your workout.

5. Glutamine

Additional glutamine can be taken with this best bodybuilding protein diet to aid muscle recovery.

6. Fish Oil

Fish oil is essential in this natural bodybuilding diet. It has essential fatty acids that can aid in fat loss while supporting immune functions, wellness of heart, brain, vision and joint. However, our body cannot produce them on its own, which in turn requires us to source them from our diet or supplements.

7. Multivitamins

Intense training drains your body of a wide range of micronutrients, which requires replenishing or else your body can suffer dramatically. So, having a multivitamin is recommended with any bodybuilding diet.

Now, what’s your excuse? You have the best bodybuilding diet plan! So, go ahead and start attaining your fitness and bodybuilding goals!

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